Vandalism inspires church to hold free party Saturday

CHESAPEAKE

Five weeks after graffiti defaced signs announcing the future site of his church, the Rev. Ronnie D. Joyner is inviting the neighborhood to a unity party on Saturday.

"We'll extend the proverbial olive branch and say, 'Since you may not know us and we may not know you, let's come together on this property,' " Joyner said. "Let's see if we can't reconcile and unite and turn the next page."

Joyner leads The Philadelphia Fellowship, a Baptist church meeting in Norfolk. Several years ago, the congregation bought 3 acres at 808 Providence Road in Chesapeake, where it plans to build a church, he said.

On June 15, Joyner discovered that three new signs identifying the land as the future site of the church were vandalized with "NO!" in orange paint.

Joyner, who is black, said he speculated that the graffiti might have reflected racial bigotry, hostility to religion or opposition to development of the site by the 236-member congregation.

The incident was reported to police, who said this week they had no suspects.

The public vandalism also prompted an outpouring of support for Philadelphia Fellowship from neighborhood residents and church leaders.

"We got about 30 calls saying 'This is not us, this is not the way in Norfolk Highlands,' " Joyner said, referring to the Chesapeake neighborhood.

He said his church responded by describing the incident and promoting the community day party in a letter to 500 neighborhood households.

Joyner said the free, church-sponsored event will start at about 10 a.m. with food, music, pony rides, Christian karate demonstrations and children's activities. The party is on the church's Providence Road property.

A two-on-two basketball tournament for teens 14 and older will start at 9 a.m. at the park across the street from the site.

Steven G. Vegh, (757) 446-2417, steven.vegh@pilotonline.com